Now Falwell says he’s not a Southern Baptist

c. 1996 Religion News Service UNDATED _ After proclaiming a week ago his solidarity with the Southern Baptist Convention and making a $1,000 contribution to a new Southern Baptist group in Virginia, Jerry Falwell now says he does not consider himself a Southern Baptist. At a Wednesday (Oct. 30) night service, Falwell told members of […]

c. 1996 Religion News Service

UNDATED _ After proclaiming a week ago his solidarity with the Southern Baptist Convention and making a $1,000 contribution to a new Southern Baptist group in Virginia, Jerry Falwell now says he does not consider himself a Southern Baptist.

At a Wednesday (Oct. 30) night service, Falwell told members of his Thomas Road Baptist Church in Lynchburg, Va., that the church remains an independent congregation.


Falwell spokesman Mark DeMoss said there was”a little confusion”about what it means to be a Southern Baptist. His boss was apparently unaware that his contribution would make him and some of his church members eligible to vote on denominational concerns, DeMoss said.”His intention was to show support for the conservative pastors in churches in the state convention who had formed this new association,”said DeMoss.”It was not his intention to join anything.” In September, Falwell’s church sent a $1,000 contribution to the Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia. The group formed earlier that month when it split from the moderate-dominated Baptist General Association of Virginia. The unprecedented action created two Southern Baptist state conventions in one state.”When pastors essentially pulled themselves out of the state convention and formed the Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia, he (Falwell) as a Virginian and a Baptist wanted to show support and give support and that’s the extent of it,”DeMoss said.

DeMoss said Falwell intends to have his church continue to send a monthly contribution to the new group.

Most Southern Baptist churches have ties to the 15.6-million-member denomination through state conventions, but are considered to be in”friendly cooperation”with the denomination rather than members. Under Southern Baptist procedures, Falwell’s donation put his congregation in the ranks of churches that are considered to be in”friendly cooperation”with the Southern Baptist Convention.

Last week, Southern Baptist Convention officials said they welcomed Falwell’s church along with”all evangelical, Bible-believing Baptist churches.” Falwell does not plan to send delegates to the denomination’s annual meeting nor does he have any interest in becoming a Southern Baptist Convention president, DeMoss said.”I don’t think he knew that this entitled him to do that nor do I think he cares,”DeMoss said.

Although technically Falwell is now dually aligned with the Baptist Bible Fellowship International, an informal grouping of independent Baptist churches, and the Southern Baptist Convention, he considers himself an independent, not a Southern Baptist, his spokesman emphasized.”He would not say `I’m a Southern Baptist,'”DeMoss said.”He would not say, `I’m an independent and also a Southern Baptist.’ He would say `I’m an independent Baptist who also supports conservative Southern Baptists.'” (STORY CAN END HERE. OPTIONAL MATERIAL FOLLOWS)

In a statement Oct. 24, Falwell said his church was”now happy to work in voluntary cooperation with Southern Baptist churches.”But he also said he was not giving up his support of other groups.”While we have no intention of discontinuing our support to our missionaries who are affiliated with many different fellowships and faith mission boards, we fully intend to take our permanent stand with the national and Virginia Bible-believing conservatives who have rescued the Southern Baptist Convention from theological liberalism,”Falwell said in his statement.

In 1979, conservative Southern Baptists who believe that the Bible is the inerrant and literal word of God began their takeover of the leadership of the Southern Baptist Convention. Moderate Southern Baptists, who believe portions of the Bible are open to interpretation, found themselves increasingly unwelcome in the denomination’s national leadership and seminaries.


As that transformation took place, Falwell renewed his interest in Southern Baptists and has since placed prominent conservative members of the denomination on the trustee board of Liberty University, the Lynchburg, Va., institution where he is chancellor.”Philosophically and theologically, he has been compatible with the national Southern Baptist Convention for the last 10 or 12 years,”DeMoss said.

But Falwell, who has described himself as”a Baptist in the South,”has held onto his independent status for the 40 years he has been the pastor of his 22,000-member church. And, DeMoss said, that is not about to change.”He wants toâÂ?¦ remain in a position where he can say what he wants, do what he wants and not risk upsetting some denominational hierarchy,”said DeMoss.”I think you’re going to see him remain very independent.”JC END BANKS

Donate to Support Independent Journalism!

Donate Now!